COVID-19 vaccines do not cause cancer, but misinformation persists

Anyone who spends even a reasonable amount of time online has likely encountered social media posts falsely claiming that COVID-19 vaccines are harmful to human health.

One of the most widely debunked claims is that vaccines developed with messenger RNA technology contain “simian virus DNA” and can cause cancer.

Such claims were repeated at last year's U.S. Congressional hearings on vaccine injuries, but health officials in North America and Europe said there was no evidence of a causal link between coronavirus vaccines and cancer, and that mRNA vaccines are safe for all body parts. It emphasizes that it has the potential to alter human DNA. Method.

A senior policy analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society also debunked such claims and pointed to the further harm that false beliefs can derail the rollout of proven treatments.

“Misinformation can increase vaccine hesitancy and delay health care delivery,” Apirami Jeyaparan said in an emailed statement.

The fact that cancer patients and others may still be exposed to such misinformation online and elsewhere is deeply worrying and should not be ignored by the medical and scientific community. says a Canadian scientist who specializes in health literacy.

Cheryl Peters, senior scientist at BC Cancer and BC Center for Disease Control, said cancer treatment is a “very vulnerable time,” especially for overwhelmed patients, who are susceptible to information from questionable sources. He said that it is easy to

“We have to be aware that these things are widespread, and we have to be aware that our friends and family may be exposed to these conspiracy theories, and if they If people listen to that conspiracy theory, they can cause real harm,” Peters said.

People spreading misinformation about vaccines online have blamed COVID-19 for everything from heart attacks to sudden deaths. So, for example, “your Spider-Man sense should be heightened” when it comes to the false claim that vaccines are also the reason why rates of certain types of cancer are higher than ever in younger age groups.

“There's no way that just one exposure to something, whether it's a vaccine or something else, can cause all kinds of adverse health effects. That's not how our biology works.” Peters said.

Dr. Aaron Simmer, director of research at Toronto's Princess Margaret Cancer Center, believes the level of misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines is decreasing over time, but false claims are still creeping in. admitted that it was.

“I think a lot of patients, especially around the time when vaccines were introduced, if they were newly diagnosed with cancer around that time… they would say, 'Well, my cancer was caused by the vaccine.' Of course, I repeat, “But biologically that's not the case. These cancers have probably grown slowly over many years,” he said.

Dr. Simmer, whose clinical practice primarily treats leukemia, said none of his patients have raised specific conspiracy theories about vaccines or cancer. Whether the vaccine caused the cancer. ”

Ironically, mRNA vaccines were being tested as a potential cancer treatment long before the coronavirus pandemic, Simmer said. The idea is that mRNA can train an individual's immune system to target specific cancer cells.

“We were actually able to produce a coronavirus vaccine so quickly because of the investments that were being made at the time to understand how these worked as cancer treatments,” he said. Stated.

BC Cancer Scientist Peters said there is great value in mRNA vaccines, and he sees promising research using them in the future. But she questions whether the science behind it is being properly translated and communicated to the public.

“I think it's a bit of an existential question for science in general,” she says.

Samara Perez, a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology at McGill University Health Center in Montreal, says the vast majority of patients consider their doctors and health care professionals to be the most trusted source of information, and years of research back this up. He says there is. .

While a cancer diagnosis can trigger a variety of psychological reactions, including depression and anxiety, Perez doesn't think there's any particular vulnerability to misinformation.

Perez, who is also a professor at McGill University, said, “I believe that people who are susceptible to misinformation before they get cancer will also be the same after they get cancer.'' He pointed out that the conventional wisdom about the matter was “quickly” debunked.

Both Shimer and Peters said there's nothing wrong with having a healthy amount of skepticism about personal medical choices. Peters said he also understands why some patients, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, may feel distrustful of the system.

But that's where doctors, scientists and health officials need to step up and be candid about rare but real vaccine side effects and other potential negative outcomes, she said, adding that transparency is needed. He pointed out that it is very useful for prevention. Trust in the building.

A study co-authored by Peters and published earlier this year found that Canadians were better at identifying known cancer risk factors, such as tobacco use, than they were at recognizing cancer myths. .

For example, more than half of survey respondents incorrectly believed that stress and consuming additives increased their risk of cancer. Between 20 and 30 percent believe that wearing deodorant, hair dye, living near power lines and “having bad luck” increase their risk. However, the majority of respondents generally did not consider vaccination to be a risk factor.

Peters believes myths and misinformation play a bigger role in people's health care choices now than in the past because “we all have basically unlimited access to information.” I am. Also, some people intentionally spread false claims online in order to profit from unproven ones. “Remedy. ”

“And I don't think that's a problem that's going to go away,” Peters added. “Cancer patients and people with other chronic illnesses really need support.”

The Canadian Cancer Society advises people to approach unverified sources with caution. On its website, the association aims to dispel common myths, such as the idea that certain foods can prevent or treat cancer, and anyone with questions or concerns can find information on cancer information. People are urged to call the helpline.

“If you are a cancer patient, talk to your healthcare team about which of the approved COVID-19 vaccines is right for you and decide on the best timing for administering the vaccine based on your unique situation,” the association said in a statement. Please.''

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2024.